Made In Germany

Traditions and Jewelry

As Orchid walked through the forest she'd seen many times in her dreams, she felt someone there, someone- familiar. There were twinkling lights surrounding many of the trees. There was the sound of windchimes and bells in the cool night air.

"Over here." Whispered a voice that was sweet like honey. Orchid followed the sounds.

"Hello?" She called out, her white blonde hair rustled with a breeze. "Is anyone there?" Her hands were sweaty as she approached with caution, her tiny body looking meek and frail against the dark forest.

"Come on, Orchid, come on!" The voice called, whispy thin like the cool around her. Orchid's feet couldn't move quick enough, squashing and snapping the twigs under her feet.

Finall, after for what seemed like hours, she reached an old weeping willow in the middle of a clearing adorned with twinkling lights that shone bright like the moon high above. There was a dark figure standing beside a swing made of vines and various flowers, "It's so nice to see you again, my love."

His dark eyes stared straight into Orchid's soul, her heart pounded in her chest at the beauty of this man. Suddenly her attention caught another beauty stepping into the light, "We've been waiting for over ten years for you to come back to us, precious flower."

Orchid was overwhelmed by adrenaline and attraction for the two men, "Wh-who are you, exactly?" She asked, knowing she'd met them before, because when she looked at them, she had a sense of home fill her entire being.

"I am Bill." Bill whispered softly, he gestured to the other male standing beside him, "And this is my brother Tom. On your sixth birthday, your Grandmother gave us to you in the form of two Soul Dolls. We are your sworn protectors, made specifically for you by an old Taiwanese witch in a small village by the sea." He smiled.

"I think, I'm remembering." She stuttered with uncertainty.

"You're memory has been blocked by severe emotional trauma, Orchid, push past it, see what your mother has hidden from you for so long." Like a switch being flicked, visions of Orchid's childhood played like movies behind her eyes. Watching intently she remembered the happiest- and saddest moments of her young life.

She hit the ground on her kneecaps, both Bill and Tom rushed to her side, "I'm so sorry, Orchid, I should've eased you into the memories." Bill grasped her tiny bicep, pulling her up.

"I've missed you so much, Billa." She flew into a hug, grabbing his thin body. "Did you ever fix your arm after Mama threw you into that God-Awful trunk of hers?"

Bill sighed, "Unfortunately, no. But we need your help. We need you to free us from that trunk, it won't be easy, but I-" He glanced to Tom, "We believe in you."

Orchid nodded, "I won't let you down, I'm not that helpless kid I used to be." There was a bitterness in her voice as she clenched her jaw in disbelief at the depravity her mother had caused. Her fists tightened, "Don't you worry, I'll set you free." The determination in her voice was unsettling to both of the boys.

"Please Orchid don't do anything brash." Tom pleaded, "Without those bodies our Souls can't be completed."

Orchid nodded, "I'll be sure." She squeezed them each a final time, "Don't either of you do anything stupid."

　

Tom pretended to be offended, "Who us? Never." He shook his head, his black braids drifting with the movements.

Orchid smiled as she waved goodbye, her eyes opening violently as she shot up in her bed. "Bill..." was the first breath to escape through her perfectly pink lips. She had to think of a way to get her mother to open the trunk.

___________________________________________________

After several hours of contemplation, she'd finally hatched an idea, staring at the last remaining empty space in her room. A devilish grin played on her lips.

She trailed down the large staircase like she'd done when she was a child, one hand on the banister and the other barely touching the white wall. Step after cautious step until she reached the bottom, "Hey, Mom, can I ask you something?"

Elaine glanced up, "Yeah, go for it."

"Can I have that old trunk in the attic? I have some space in my room and I love that old thing."

Elaine's eyes widened, "Sure. I don't see why not." She too had forgotten about the dolls sealed inside their dusty coffin. "I'm not doing anything right now, we can move it now if you want."

Orchid smiled, "That'd be great, I am in dire need of more space for some old crap in my room."

Elaine laughed, "Maybe it'll stay clean for once, huh?"

Orchid nodded, "Maybe." She couldn't believe her mother had said yes, more importantly, offered to help her move it.

As they swept the inch-thick dust off it, Orchid grimaced at the now rusty lock keeping it closed, "I'm going to go grab my key ring, I'll be right back." Elaine left swiftly down the attic steps and grand staircase.

Orchid tapped on the side of the trunk, "Hey guys, it won't be much longer now." There was a huge smile spread across her face.

There was a responding thunk from the inside of the trunk; her smile widened. As she looked around the room of old memories, her eyes caught old pictures of her and her father at the old lake house. Hold a fish in one hand and his young two year old in the other, Brandon couldn't have looked happier.

Orchid held an old stuffed doll in a dress hand-embroidered by Gran's mother. She hugged it close, remembering Gran's words,

"My mother made these for me, I was supposed to give them to my daughter, but your grandfather passed away before I could have any more children." Tears welled in her eyes.

She caught a glimpse of old, worn gold jewelry. She held a brooch in the shape of an orchid in her hand. It was a gift to her mother from her father the day she was born. When she set it down on the table she saw her mother's wedding bands, "Funny, she told me she sold them." She thought aloud.

"Hey Kitty, I don't remember the exact key it is, but I have this drawer full of 'em, you'll have to sift through, but for now let's get this downstairs."

Orchid helped her mother lift the old trunk up, and down the attic stairs. It was surprisingly light, "It's been ages since this thing's been opened, be careful of spiders alright?"

Orchid nodded as she heaved the thing down the stairs and into her room, "I don't think any spiders are in there, maybe some old play things, but not spiders." She said with a grin.

It took several minutes for them to slide the trunk into Orchid's room. The moment Elaine left the room, Orchid dumped the drawer of keys onto the floor, sticking each one into the lock, each one failing to succeed.

"God damn it." She muttered angrily, "I wonder if Dad's tools are still in the garage." Her voice trailed off in thought, she stood up and ran out the door; that's when something sharp stuck into the flesh of her thick-skinned foot. "Ow!"

She pulled her foot up quickly, spotting a rusty iron key beneath it. "Must've dropped this one." She laughed, "Let's hope this works." She inhaled sharply.

Without luck the key denied her access to the locked trunk, "I'm about to become very upset right now." She threw the key onto the floor and ran downstairs into the garage. She picked up a hammer that was lying haphazard on her father's old tool chest. He never used it, but he thought it neccessary to have one around.

She trekked back up the stairs, and without hesitation, began to whack relentlessly at the rusty lock. It didn't take very much effort to break the bar and send it flying to the other side of the room.

She bent down onto her knees, her heart pounded loudly from inside her chest, she began to tip the lid of the open.